And To Fall Again
by Clouded Eye
Summary: Not very good at summaries. Orphan apprentice to Marcia Overstrand. Very special girl. Hidden history and very mysterious. Got some Beetle and Jenna in there. No Sep and Rose. Sorry, but thats the way it is. Please read
1. Puppies

It was **1:13 AM**. I was finishing my daily homework when a thought flew across my mind and I was foolish enough to catch it. I wanted someone to like me. It didn't even matter if I didn't like the person. Just knowing they liked me would have made me happy, as someone who was not Marcia or Alther would love me. Septimus, Jenna, Beetle, and Rose are just my friends, and I'm glad that it is that way. But it would have been nice for someone to like me, you know? (but definitely someone who was not them, it would've been too awkward). I thought about it for a while and finished up my homework (which I found to be very tedious) and went to bed. I expected the thought to go away the next day, but it stuck like a puppy I didn't take to. I didn't mind at first, but it became increasingly annoying until I thought I would go mad if I didn't tell someone. I wanted this little puppy to LEAVE ME IN PEACE. I decided to tell Rose about it. She must know a LOT about this kind of stuff. Besides, maybe the puppy will find a new Master. I walked into the Sick Bay at about 9:00 AM where Rose sat in her desk, reading _It's Not Wise to Travel Through Time_ , by Marcellus Pye. She took her eyes off the book when the door closed. "Oh! Hello, Sierra! What brings you here?"

"I had a day off today, and I wanted to see you. Haven't visited you in a while. And there's been something I can't take off my mind, and I was hoping you might be able to help me…"

I told her all about my little dilemma. To my relief, she didn't laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. She actually listened. When I finished, she smiled. "Sierra, this is normal! Heck, maybe some random person on the street can't stop thinking about you! You're really nice, I don't know anyone who wouldn't. But if this is really a problem for you, don't try to push it away, but don't feed it either. Don't even think of it. You haven't - forgive me Sierra - but you haven't thought of your parents lately, right?"

"No, I haven't"

"Exactly. So live your life and it won't bother you. Okay?"

"Alright."

"Yes, well, unlike you, I do not have a day off, this was just my break. So maybe you could help me fill out these papers?"

"I have nothing else to do, sure!"

"Thank you! Here, you take half and these are the patients' information."

I had to admit, the paperwork was less annoying than my homework. But it did not stop me from groaning every few hours and stretching my hands. When we were done, I looked up at the clock. 8:00 PM. I had spent one of my few days off on work, but it was a lot more fun in Rose's company. "Hey," she suddenly said, "I'm sorry I kept you in."

"It's fine. It was much more fun that you were here too."

"Honestly, I want to make it up to you. I could ask Marcia if you could be relieved of your studies early. You were really helpful. Normally this junk would have taken me four days alone, but we managed in only eleven hours."

"Rose, you don't have to! I really enjoyed doing this!" She stuck out her tongue at me. "Too bad. You deserve this! Anyway, care for a banana chew?" I laughed. She knew they were my favorite. I popped one into my mouth. "Thanks," I said, jumpy with sugar.

"Anytime," she replied, grinning. We both bursted with giggles. I went back up to the top floor of the Wizard Tower, where Marcia and Septimus greeted me with a smile. I returned it, and went to my room to work on some spells. It was when I finally went to bed that I realized I hadn't thought of that love business all day. Rose was right. Just live your life and it will be gone. But a pang of guilt hit me. Rose was right about another thing. I hadn't thought of my parents. I was too busy with my lifestyle that I forgot about them. It wasn't right of me. To have forgotten my parents? Who… I could not bear to think what they did for me. A tear slid down my cheek. I went across my room to the picture that was on my dresser. A picture of my Mum and Dad. A picture I never wanted to lose. I hugged it close and wiped my tears. _Stay strong_ , I told myself. _Don't show your weak spot_. But I was afraid that the people whom I didn't want to show already knew. I went back to my bed, shaking all thoughts from my mind. They would only make my life more complicated, except the thought of my parents. I would keep that memory no matter what. I closed my eyes, willing my brain to let me sleep. It obeyed me for once, and I was asleep before I knew it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I opened my door to reveal a complete mess. Marcia's living room was a total disaster. I looked up, only to find Septimus looking at me guiltily. "I-I found a **Firework Charm**. I couldn't resist trying it out." Now, I wouldn't have wanted to hurt Septimus, but I've always wanted to scold him. It seemed fun when Marcia did it. I put on a disappointed face and said, "Well, did you have to try it out here? You know Marcia will get really upset. In fact, I'm surprised she slept through this." Septimus looked relieved, though I wasn't sure why. "She didn't sleep through it. She went to visit Marwick in the Marram Marshes, to make sure he's doing all right as Keeper."

"Then let's clean this up before she gets back! Hurry!"

"Relax, Sierra. She's not coming back for about a week."

"So, you're suggesting we put this off until the last minute, panic, and, just when we finish, act completely normal so Marcia can figure out what happened?"

"Well, when you put it that way, of course not. And I suppose we'd better start or else you are going to keep blaming me." I smiled. Scolding is a nice way to get what you want. I muttered a simple **Clean** spell to get rid of the dirt and plaster on the floor. Septimus **Renewed** the plaster and paint on the walls and ceiling. I asked him if he could possibly ask Beetle for a table exactly like Marcia's, and I began sewing her sofa, which ripped in the chaos of the **Charm**. I used to sew really well, and even Beetle, who came in with the new table and has keen eyes, couldn't see any difference. I placed the table in the dents in the carpet and put the vase (thankfully undamaged) in the same spot it used to be. Everything else was also undamaged. I stood from a distance and surveyed the scene in front of me. It looked the same as it did before. I thanked Beetle and hugged Septimus for their help. Hopefully Marcia wouldn't notice anything different. "Sep, you've got to be careful. Remember the last time you tried out a **Charm** in here?" Beetle asked. Septimus could remember only too well. That time when he had accidentally turned Marcia's sofa to chocolate, and Marcia wondering why the sofa was sagging so much and why her ExtraOrdinary robes were all brown. "Beet, maybe you wouldn't remind me?"

"Fine, Sep. I won't embarrass you in front of your girlfriend." Septimus turned red. "Sierra is not my girlfriend, you know that Beetle. She is our _friend_."

"Don't get so defensive about it. I was joking," Beetle said, smiling. "And, now that the fuss is over, maybe you guys can join me, Jenna, and Rose for lunch?"

"Beetle, it's Jenna, Rose and _I_ ," Septimus frowned.

"I said it on purpose, Sep." Beetle turned to me. "Be careful around this guy here. He takes things too seriously." I smiled. I knew that only too well. "Well, I'd love to go for lunch, but Septimus can stay here so he can be serious instead of having fun," I said. "Hey! I'm coming too!" Septimus shouted as we stepped onto the stairs. He came after us, green Apprentice robes flying.


	2. Surprise!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Wizard Tower Courtyard is a really beautiful place. I ran outside, breathing in the fresh air that I hadn't seen in weeks. Thank goodness I was wearing a simple light blue tunic instead of my robes, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to run. Septimus, however, decided to stay in his robes, so he and Beetle chose to walk and let me run ahead. "Come on, you slowpokes!" I yelled over my shoulder. "Unlike you, we can't run!" Septimus shouted back, and fought the urge to run, which would only make him trip and fall. Beetle could only notice Septimus holding back. "Sep, can't you just **Magykally** change or something? Then you can get even with her."

"If I could, then wouldn't I have done it already?"

"We can wait. They're gonna be here in about thirty minutes."

"Then why in the world did you drag us out here?" Septimus asked irritably. "You and Sierra looked like you needed some air. Especially Sierra. She looked really tired, don't you think?"

"Yeah."

"Exactly. So why don't you just dress in a simple green tunic and get those heavy robes off?" Septimus nodded and headed back to the Wizard Tower. I saw him walk back, and gave Beetle a questioning look, but he shrugged and ran ahead. He wasn't wearing his Chief Hermetic Scribe robes, and walked with Septimus only so he wouldn't feel alone. "So, where exactly are we going to be having this picnic?" I asked. Beetle shrugged again. "Where is Rose? And Jenna?" Beetle shrugged again. I laughed and shook him. "I demand answers!" He shrugged once more. I finally understood the game he was playing. I decided to play back. "Beetle," I grinned evilly, "is it true you like Jenna?" Beetle turned beetroot red. He didn't shrug this time. I laughed my head off. "I knew it! I knew it!" I shouted in a sing-song voice with Beetle constantly shushing me. "I-I-I don't," he stammered. "It-I'm just…" He trailed off. "How did _you_ know?"

"Whenever she is talking to us, you blush, especially when she's talking to you. You stammer. You show every aspect of being awkward. You smile a lot when she comes near. And you're asking me?" I laughed again. It was fun playing. "Shrug now, O. Beetle Beetle." At that moment, Septimus ran out of the Wizard Tower and caught up with us. "Race you guys!" he shouted at us and sprinted ahead. I assumed the finish line was the Great Arch, so me and Beetle dashed with him. I reached there first, leaving Septimus and Beetle panting for breath. "You guys are _sooo_ slow!" I said as they finally reached the Great Arch. Septimus put a finger up while trying to catch his breath. At about that time, Rose came out of the Wizard Tower. She was smiling a lot. I ran to meet her. "What's up, Rose?" I said, her contagious smile creeping up on me. "I got promoted!" she said, smiling so much I thought that her jaw might stay that way forever. "That's great!" I exclaimed. "What was the promotion?"

" **Charm** Wizard Apprentice! I don't have to stay in the 'ick bay' anymore!" Septimus caught up with us. "Hey, Rose! What happened?"

"She got promoted to **Charm** Wizard Apprentice! Isn't that great?" I quickly said for her. I knew she didn't like repeating herself. "That _is_ great! Is that why we're having lunch out here, Beetle? And, that reminds me, who's bringing the lunch?"

"Jen is. Coming in five minutes."

"Oooh, Beetle said Jen instead of Jenna, oooh."

"Sep, we all call her that!"

"It doesn't matter," I said. "We all know." Beetle turned red again, much to my amusement. "Rose, you know?!" he started freaking out. "Um, yeah. It was kind of obvious."

"Remember when you slept over at the Wizard Tower? Well I stayed up and you kept saying Jenna's name and making kissing noises. Honestly, you will not believe how hard it was to hold back my laughs," Septimus said. "I told Rose all about it." Beetle glared at him. "Why?!" he asked, looking at the sky and raising his hands as if asking god. Just then Jenna came through the Great Arch, carrying a basket and a plaid blanket. She saw me and enveloped me in a hug. "Happy birthday, Sierra!" She pulled away from me. "I don't understand. It's nothing special," I said. I turned to Beetle. "Is this why you brought us out here?" He nodded. "Honestly, Sierra. How can you not remember your own birthday?" Rose laughed. "I don't know," I said. "It was never important to me before. And, to be honest, no one told me." Their smiles turned upside down. I realized my mistake and put my hand up to my mouth. "What do you mean, no one told you?" Jenna asked, putting her hands on my shoulders. I looked to Septimus for help. He was the only one who knew I was an orphan. I told Rose that my parents were somewhere else, not that they were dead. Jenna caught my gaze.

"Sep, what happened?" she asked, eyeing him. I jumped up. "Nothing! Nothing happened! Let's just have lunch. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're all pretty hungry." Jenna looked at me suspiciously and set down the blanket. She packed a lot of food. And I mean a _lot_. There had to be at least twelve sandwiches, four packs of cookies, five juice bottles, and I couldn't even count how much candy there was. And, to my surprise, she topped it off with a cake. _And_ , she gave me the biggest slice. I had never known they cared so much. We ate and joked and laughed all throughout the afternoon. To my delight, no one had mentioned anything about my parents or me lying about what happened to them. I didn't want them to worry so much.

It was then Jenna invited us all to the Palace. I bent down to clean up our mess but Septimus grabbed my hand. "No, no, you're not cleaning up birthday girl," he said. He bent down and cleaned up. "Sep, you don't have to. Let me help," I said, but Septimus signaled me to stop. "You go with Jenna and the others. I'll catch up." Birthdays must be so strange, I thought, as I reluctantly walked with the others. I didn't know that you didn't have to do anything. I also didn't know that you could leave it up to other people to do stuff for you. I didn't particularly like this, but I said nothing. I didn't think it was right to upset everyone after we had such a great time.

We reached the Palace and went up to what used to be Sarah's sitting room. It was a lot neater than when I had last been there. We sat down and talked. At about 7:00 PM, Septimus **Transported** there. He handed the blanket and basket to Jenna, who got them and put them in a cabinet in the unreasonably large kitchen. We chatted for a while, but then it got too late too quick. Rose, Beetle, and Septimus got up to leave. I got up to go too when Jenna grabbed me and sat me back. I looked at her questioningly. Jenna took a deep breath, and when she was sure no one could hear them, she asked, "Sierra. What happened?" This was the question I was dreading. I hoped she forgot, but apparently not. I waited a few moments and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sierra, don't play dumb with me! You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Yes, it is."

I found I could get nowhere with persistence, so I gave in. "My parents," was all I managed to say. "What happened to them?" Jenna asked, clearly not wanting me to keep anything from her. "They died."

"There's more than that."

"I know. I'm sure you're familiar with Una Brakket."

"Ugh, of course I know that awful woman!"

"Yes, well, she was the second Apprentice to D-DomDaniel."

Jenna gasped. "What?!"

"You heard. Well, she had to do DomDaniel's bidding. And what he demanded of her was that she torture and kill me. I'm not sure why. But she did. And, my Mum and Dad jumped in front of me and protected me." My voice was quavering, and I tried to suppress it. Success. Jenna put her hand on her mouth and hugged me. "I'm so sorry, Sierra," she whispered. "I'm really sorry." What I really wanted to do was get out of there. She noticed me tensing and let me go. "Bye," I said quietly and waved. She anxiously waved back, and when the Palace doors closed, I ran back to the Wizard Tower, not caring how much my feet hurt and how choked up my throat felt.


	3. Ghosts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I put the silver stairs on fast mode and hurried up to the top floor. Marcia's doors recognized me and flung open. I saw Septimus sitting on her sofa, with worry etched into his face. He saw me running in and asked, "Why were you so late?"

"Buzz off!" I told him as I dashed into my room, leaving Septimus hurt and bewildered. I wanted to scream. Because of Jenna, my parents, and especially how I yelled at Septimus. But I couldn't. I knew that if I did, Septimus would come in and ask me what happened, and I'd have to tell him, which I really didn't want. It didn't matter to me that I didn't want certain people to know my weak spot. At this point, I didn't want _anyone_ to know my weak spot. I buried my head into my pillow, willing it all to go away. At that moment, Alther flew in. I really just wanted him to get lost, but I couldn't say anything bad to him. I'd already done enough bad things today. "Hello, Sierra," he said gently, as if everything was normal and fine, which was definitely not the case. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, thank you for asking Alther," I replied a little more harshly than I had wanted to. "I am doing completely, absolutely _terrible_." I closed my eyes tight, telling myself to calm down. I did another unacceptable thing. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "It is all right. I'm sorry too. I was in the Palace tonight," Alther replied guiltily. At this, I started crying. I was using everything in me to keep it silent. I really hoped it was, but I couldn't hear myself over all the yelling I was doing inside my head. Curses, screams, insults at myself. How could I be so stupid? I thought. To say everything that I wished to hide out loud? Unaware that other people might be hearing? What is wrong with me? _Die, die, die_ , I kept saying in my head. I could tell Alther was watching my concealed breakdown. "Sierra," he said, putting a ghostly hand on my back. "You're alright. It's fine. You're fine." I calmed down a little. My tears didn't come down as fast. "Could you hear?" I asked. "No, you were quiet. Not a sound. Where did you learn how to do that?" Alther hugged me. "I-I don't know," I whispered. "I j-just d-did it." Alther's hug felt like a warm summer breeze, and it was like someone put a stopper in my eyes.

"You're special. Don't beat yourself like this. You did nothing wrong. It was mine. I brought up that I overheard. And I'm sure Jenna was just worried and concerned for you." I smiled gratefully. "Now, get some sleep. Marcia told me that I should help you in your studies." I nodded and lay my head down. "Goodnight," he said, before floating out the window.

I slept for a long time. Longer than usual. When I woke up, my timepiece said it was 11:30 AM. I quickly dressed in my robes and rushed out of my room. I was meant to be in the Pyramid Library researching on **Projections**. I threw open the door to find Alther already sitting there. "Ah, Sierra. A good night's sleep?" I nodded. "Very nice. Then you must be feeling better." I nodded once more. "Well, now that you are refreshed, then I suggest you get going. Performing a **Projection** is a tricky thing." I smiled. Alther's approach was refreshingly different from Marcia's. And so I spent the next hour and a half successfully **Projecting** an ant scuttling across my desk. "Very nice," Alther said when I was finished. "I must tell Marcia about this when she gets back. You are a very talented girl." I blushed. "Thank you, Alther, but I'm sure others could do a lot better. Take Septimus for example. A hopping trash bin. That's something you could be proud of."

"Yes, Sierra, but most Wizards can't even **Project** a slice of bread on their first try. But you have **Projected** a living thing, and successfully on the first try, and that is astounding to me."

"Thank you, Alther," I said again. No one had ever said something like that about me before. It was if someone had given me a thousand crowns. But even one crown would have been nice. You know what? Give me a crown any day, but it would never be as valuable as this. "Sierra, I believe you have been overworked by Marcia. You can have the rest of the day off, considering the- the incident that occured." I smiled gratefully and walked out of the Pyramid Library. The sun was shining so bright through the windows, it was blinding. I shielded my eyes and walked into Septimus's room. There was something I had to sort out first. I found him lying on his bed, staring at the constellations he had painted on his ceiling. I gently closed the door behind me. "Sep, I'm sorry. About yesterday, I mean," I said, uncertain whether he would take his eyes off the ceiling and look at me. He did. "No, it's fine. You were stressed. I could tell," he faltered. "You didn't mean it."

"You're right, I didn't. You did nothing wrong," I said, a bit uncertainly. "Thank you for understanding." I hesitantly walked out and jumped on the silver spiral stairs. I wanted to see Beetle. He must know when Septimus is telling a lie and when he wasn't.

The Manuscriptorium was a mess. Beetle made the mistake of leaving the window open and the gale threw all the papers on the windowsill on the floor, walls, and even in the scribes' hair. Foxy appeared. I didn't notice him before because he was covered head to toe in papers. I don't know how I stifled a giggle but I did. "Can I help?" I asked. "Please do," came Foxy's gruff voice. I took a piece of ancient **Magyk** paper from my Apprentice belt. I laid it on the windowsill, took a sheet of Manuscriptorium paper, and placed it in the middle of the ancient paper. " _Like to like together spin, like to like gather in_ ," I muttered, and made a circling motion with my right index finger above the ancient paper. With a blue flash of light, the Manuscriptorium papers whizzed around in circles and stacked themselves up. I quickly closed the window before the next gale blew in. I snatched the ancient paper out of the bottom of the pile so fast that the stack of papers above it could not fall, and so quickly that the ancient paper was not damaged. I sighed, and put it back in my belt.

"Sierra, you're amazing," Foxy praised. "So, what can I do for you?"

"I need to see Beetle."

"Okay, he'll be in the Hermetic Chamber."

"Thanks, Foxy." He tipped an imaginary hat and put it back on his head. I smiled and went on my way. In the Hermetic Chamber, I saw Beetle hunched over an ancient **Charm** , inspecting it. He looked up and smiled. "Hello Beetle," I said. "How do you know if Sep is lying or not?"

"When he says what you want him to say. Why?"

"Nothing. Just asking. For future situations, I guess. But what if he's _not_ lying and says what you want him to?"

"If he waits a few moments. But seriously, why are you asking?"

"Well, last night I got stressed and told him to buzz off and today I apologized. He said he knew I didn't mean it. But I'm not sure."

"He'll be fine in a few hours' time. Don't think about it."

"Thanks, Beetle."

"Don't mention it."

And so, my afternoon went exactly as planned. Go to the Manuscriptorium. Come back to the Wizard Tower. Do nothing. Be bored. And occasionally think of my parents and how it would be like if they were still alive. But mostly think how it would be like if I took their fate.


	4. Too Early

**(big turn. sorry if last chapter was a bit boring, i ran out of ideas :( sorry if this is also a bit boring but we learn a bit more about Sierra and her "condition" which is introduced)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beetle was right. Septimus was fine. Except he was fine after Marcia came back. "It must have been because of your parents," he told me, as we were walking back toward the Wizard Tower from some fuss going on with the purple python in the backyard of Terry Tarsal's shop, who apparently got spooked by a lingering **Darkenesse** from the **Darke Domaine**. "Don't be daft, Sep. I was just a bit stressed because of my upcoming **Projection** , that's all," I lied, hoping Septimus bought it. He did. I didn't want to think of my parents, not because I don't like them, but because the mention of them always makes me tense up and feel afraid that someone might hear. "Anyways," he continued, "Jen is holding an early MidSummer Day party. Too early if you ask me, but she _is_ the Queen now and can do what she wants. Well, she wanted to invite us. Specifically asked me to give you the invitation, said she thought you wouldn't be happy to see her."

I would've frowned, but I didn't want to ruin the mood. "That's great! That we're going, I mean," I beamed. "But, if you're not too tired, maybe we could go see her? Maybe clear things up a bit."

"She said the party's today. At six."

"What?! She's crazy!"

"That's what I told her. But she's still the Queen. And she's got that annoying little book with all those edgy little rules." I chuckled. I didn't mind the book, but I never knew Septimus had so much hatred for it. "Let's just get dressed. It's almost 5:30, and we all know how slowly you get ready." He scowled. "I'm not that slow."

"Yes you are. Race ya!" I shouted as I dashed ahead. "That's not fair!" he yelled and ran too, but he and I knew I would reach the Wizard Tower first.

We got there, but we weren't expecting what we saw. It wasn't a lot, but it sure felt like it. Spit Fyre flew up to the window and set Fyre to Marcia's favorite rug. Septimus doused it before it got out of control and told Spit Fyre to go back to the Dragon Kennel. Unfortunately, there was no more Dragon Kennel. He groaned and put his head in his hands. "Visit your mother, then," he requested, but Spit Fyre wanted to go on a ride with his **Imprintor**. He scooped Septimus up and swung him onto the Pilot spine. " **Renew** her rug!" he screamed as Spit Fyre flew away. I shook my head. Spit Fyre was trouble.

I **Renewed** her rug and went to search in my closet for something to wear. All I had other than my robes was my light blue tunic and a sapphire blue skirt with a bit of golden embroidery. I quickly embroidered some golden flowers on the tunic and put both on. I went to put on a silver necklace that used to belong to my mother. Then, I put my hair up. I looked in the mirror. I thought I looked acceptable, so I went on my way. I was surprised to find Septimus already there, in a suit. "Where did you get that?" I wondered. "Did Spit Fyre throw some clothes on you?"

"Actually, yeah. He did just that."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He must've taken it from somewhere because he had them in his claws. Once we were out of sight from people, he threw them on me."

"Wow, then."

"Yep."

We stood there for a while. After ten minutes of standing, Jenna opened the Palace doors. "Hey, Sep, Sierra! How are you doing?"

"We're doing just fine," I said. "Right when we were getting ready, Spit Fyre made Sep ride on him. Believe it or not, he threw clothes on him!"

"Good old Spit Fyre. You're looking really pretty. I didn't know you had those."

"That's because I barely wear them. Although I just spiced up my tunic a little."

"You did nice."

"Thanks."

"Anyway, come in! It's no use you standing there when the party's inside."

"The party's inside? Why not outside?"

"I meant in the back of the Palace. Come on, you two!" She raced ahead. So Septimus and I did too. She decorated the patio in the back of the Palace nicely. It felt homey, and not too formal. Beetle was reading a book, and Rose was swinging on the chair swing. She looked up and hugged us. Beetle didn't take his eyes off his book. "How'd you get here? Jenna kept the doors locked," I mused. "I met Jenna when I was walking to the **Charm Chamber**. She told me about the party. I had a day off, and I was already wearing a summer dress, so I figured I might as well come." Rose looked at Beetle. "And I forced him to come too. No way was I letting him stay in and do boring work." I smiled and went to where Beetle was sitting with his book. "Hey Beetle," I whispered. "If there's any time to confess your feelings to Jenna, its got to be tonight." He nodded, to my surprise, put his book down, and walked over to where the others were standing. I felt like if I went there I might be intruding, so I looked at the book Beetle was reading. " _Ever Last_ ," was the title. I started reading it, unaware that the conversation between my friends was about me.

"She sometimes scares me," Rose whispered. "She always seems as if everything is fine but I know it isn't. Last week she said she wanted someone to love her. So she wouldn't feel alone. And that was bothering her because she didn't want to think about it."

"She's also really powerful, I can tell. Quite a few times I've had dreams where she destroyed the Castle, even though I know she wouldn't do something like that. But I agree with Rose," Septimus was saying.

Beetle, who had kept quiet the entire time, spoke up. "She's going insane."

"Don't be mean, Beetle!" Jenna said quietly. "No, not like that. The other kind."

"I know what he's talking about," said Rose. "I think Sep does, too."

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, I don't get it. Can you explain?" Jenna asked, exasperated. "Shh. I'll tell you. My mother almost went insane but I helped her. She said, 'Beetle, it's like something is eating at me.' She said it was like something was trying to get her. I forgot what happens to you, but it's _awful_. It's a horrible thing."

Meanwhile, I was on chapter three of _Ever Last_. It was really good. I could tell why Beetle didn't notice Sep and I walking in. After a few minutes, when the guests began to pile in, my friends appeared to have finished their conversation, so I walked over to them with Beetle's book in hand. "Here you go, Beet. It's really good. I can see why you like it." They were all staring at their feet. I frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's all fine. I'm glad you liked it," Beetle said. He took the book from my outstretched hand. I got the impression they didn't want me there, so I left and walked around a bit. When I got to the hidden lake, the one that Jenna thought only she knew, I sat down and started wondering why. Why my friends didn't want me around, why that Una woman and DomDaniel wanted me dead, and especially wondering why I was feeling so sick to my stomach.


	5. Broken

**(er, it's a bit gorey but I hope it's good. Ill change the rating to K+)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I felt like throwing up. I had my arms pressed against my stomach and bending down. The pain was unbearable. I tried standing up but doubled over. I sat back down by the lake. I felt my forehead getting hot, and something rusty in my mouth. I vomited and was horrified. I managed to get none of it on myself, but on the grass was a puddle of blood. I covered it up with some leaves of the underbrush and felt my eyes go red. Back at the party, my friends looked white. They didn't see me yet, but they already looked as though they saw someone die. I sat down on the chair swing, that fortunately no one was sitting on, and closed my eyes. I had images of Una Brakket throwing **Thunderflashes** and two adults blocking my view, and falling down. I heard footsteps walking away and a door slamming. I heard yelling and screaming. And then I saw blood. I opened my eyes, trying to get rid of the images of that nightmare. But surely it was a nightmare? And not what actually happened? I snapped out of my reverie and saw my friends standing over me, with anxious faces and gray pallor to their skin. "Sierra, we better take you inside," Jenna said gently, and reached for my hand. Instinctively, I pulled it away. She looked devastated, and for a second, I thought she was afraid of me. Then, it was like I was pulled into another world. I was inside a pyramid. There were walkways in the air and nothing below. I saw Rose running on the walkway opposite me. I ran towards her, but she disappeared. I felt terribly alone. The same happened with all my other friends. I was laughing in that world, even though I wanted to cry. And I was also laughing in reality. I "woke up" and abruptly stopped laughing. Beetle, Septimus, Rose, and Jenna were deathly pale. I was confused. What happened? Jenna took my confusion to her advantage, took my hand, and dragged me to the Palace. I wanted to cry for some reason, but I laughed instead. Rose put her hand over my mouth and helped Jenna drag me along. We reached the Palace doors and Septimus swung them open. We hurried inside, with my giggles continuously muffled by Rose's hand. I didn't remember much after that. I felt like I was dropped like a stone, there was yelling, crying, and someone constantly touching my hand. I felt blood rushing to my head, someone screaming…. It happened so fast and yet so slow. And then my brain started working again. I gasped and sat up. I saw Jenna, Beetle, and Rose huddled together, and Septimus sitting with Marcellus Pye. I didn't remember him coming in, but then again, I didn't remember much else. I looked around me. My neck hurt to crane around but I did it anyway. I saw the cloth I was laying on covered with blood. I looked at Septimus's belt to catch my reflection. Streaks of red came from my eyes. "Wherr…" I mumbled. Marcellus took a wet cloth from a pocket in his cloak and wiped my face with it.

"Sierra, do not think of the things you do not wish to think about. It will only provoke it."

"Provoke what?" I asked, still a little dizzy. "Your mind. Sierra, you are the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter. Your great-great-grandmother was also the younger sister of the Queen and was born in the Lands of the Long Nights. Your great-grandmother was a Spirit-Seer and the wife of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, which many did not approve of. Your grandmother was the sister-in-law of the Chief Hermetic Scribe. And your dear mother married a PathFinder. You see, you are the most powerful person in the Castle since Hotep-Ra, and have connections to all the dignitaries. And because of all that power, your mind cannot take your memories. Particularly the ones you hate. Because you keep those memories, you have turned to Insanity."

It hurt to think. I closed my eyes and felt myself drop, but I didn't care. I was far too tired, hurt, and scared to care for anything. It always has to be me, I thought. But, then again, others had faced much worse. For the first ten years of his life, Septimus had been tortured by the Young Army. Jenna watched her mother die and her father abandoned her before she was even born. Beetle never even met his father and his mother was usually sick. And Rose had to witness the blood and suffering and deaths of many Castle inhabitants who had undertaken an injury of some kind. It must be harder for them than it is for me. After all, I don't have all the problems in the world. It sure felt like it, though. I fell into a dreamless sleep, though not entirely dreamless. At times, **Things** , tendrils from the **Darke Domaine** , and Kraan invaded. Otherwise, I saw darkness and nothing more.

I woke to a terrible headache. I felt as though someone had drilled a hot needle through my scalp. I scowled. I didn't like the fact I was going insane. Even if it was meant in the other way, it still sounded bad. It took a while to focus on my surroundings. I was in a domed room, there was a dresser, and I believe a desk… I slapped myself. I was in my room in the Wizard Tower. How they managed to take me up here, I don't know. Or maybe it was my insanity that drove me up here? Or was it **Magyk**? Or my supposed power? I repeated Marcellus' words over and over through my head. I was the most powerful since Hotep-Ra? Even more than Septimus? And I had connections to all the dignitaries and special people? I didn't deserve this. That sounds like someone else, not me. Me, an orphan, insignificant, foolish, clumsy, _strange_. Someone else should have what I have. I got up and walked out the door. I found Marcia staring stonily into her coffee. At the sight of me, she jumped up and knocked down her chair. "Sierra! You're okay! Oh, dear, you look so pale. Come, sit. You have to eat." I was so confused. What just happened? Marcia did _not_ yell at me for waking up late, did _not_ tell me to "go and study. Right NOW!", she _did_ escort me to the kitchen table, and she _did_ pick up her chair and ushered me onto it. At this point, I was totally and utterly lost that I thought it _must_ be a dream. I pinched myself to make sure. My skin ripped like paper and my flesh showed. "Stop. You are very weak, considering the blood you lost." I nodded. Marcia was acting so unusual. "Where's Septimus?" I mumbled. "In the Pyramid Library. Searching up on your, er, _condition_ ," Marcia replied. I didn't like the way she emphasized on "condition", but then again, I didn't like anything else happening here. "Am I really that… powerful? It doesn't sound like me. It sounds more of, well, Septimus or someone like him."

"Yes, it does. But it's true. This is who you are. And you need to learn to control yourself so you don't go completely insane. Last week you were almost there."

"I was sleeping… for-for a week?!" I stammered.

"More of unconscious, really," Marcia said as she was pouring me a cup of coffee. "When you dropped back down again, Septimus thought you died. Rose cried a little." I shook my head. How could they care so much? For me? I was so relieved and sick at the same time. Sick because, well, I _was_ sick. And relieved because they care. The corners of my lips curved up, and Marcia and I both took it to be a smile. "You have really good friends, Sierra. Never lose sight of the fact they love you. I didn't have many friends when I was your age, and people still think of me as grumpy. I do agree I have a short fuse, but you have friends who love you for who you are and don't care about some stupid illness. They love you. Don't doubt that." I felt tears of joy pricking at my eyes but I blinked them away. I sipped my coffee and smiled inside. What Marcia said was exactly what I needed to hear.


	6. Gothyk Grotto

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I started to find poetry very attractive. Alther would find me books of poems and I would read them whenever I had the time. So much that I wrote my own poems. Septimus found my poems disturbing and I told him that I wrote whatever came to my mind, so that's that. One of my poems went like this: "Could anything be more different? It's like a whole different world, morphed from the remnants of the one I last knew. It's amazing. Indescribable. Dangerous, for any human being. Here, time is nothing. Memories are nothing. Love is nothing. Death is nothing. One big part of it though… Terrifying but true. Life is NOTHING. Haha! Everything is nothing, nothing is nothing. Could anything be more different? Could anything be more different?" Everyone whom I showed it to said it was creepy, and if I wanted to keep writing things like this I should work at Gothyk Grotto. It made me start thinking. _Am I really that different? Just because I'm, well, insane?_ At times, I would be transported back to that nightmarish pyramid, but when that happened, I didn't laugh. I wouldn't laugh. When I went to the **Charm Chamber** , the **Charm** Wizard would make sure that I was at least five feet away from her, because, I don't want to say it, but Rose has a big mouth. Not when she's awake, but when she's asleep. The Ordinary Wizards also do the same, but instead of five feet, it's two feet. This made me feel a little better but not enough to cover up my shame. I talked to Septimus about all this over a cup of coffee. "They are small-minded people," he said as he took a sip. "You shouldn't care what they think. Don't our thoughts of you matter more?" He took another sip. "I hate it when people say that," I told him, as I gulped down my coffee. "Don't you understand that it still hurts? That even if I try not to think about them, I do? That if I try not to care, I will? It still hurts. Don't you get that?" I looked down at my empty cup of coffee. "Remember when Simon said he wished you were dead when the Matron Midwife took you away? That you were just a Young Army brat? You cared, didn't you? It hurt, right?"

"Yes, it did. But it also told me that he accepted me."

"How?"

"He sensed my air. He said something bad about me after a long time so he could cover up _his_ air. And then he ran away. Know why?"

"Why?"

"He didn't want me to see his approval. So he kept on his dirty face and galloped off on Thunder. You heard his apology. He said that he did love me. That what he did was a mistake."

"But he hated you in the beginning. And this _is_ my beginning."

"Exactly. Give it time and it will subside. Care for a macaron?"

I took the macaron. It occured to me that since my birthday, I had not thought of my want of someone to love me. I wanted that again. I really was annoyed. I broke my streak and I had to think about it now? I disappointed myself. I wanted love from someone even more than I did before. I wanted it more than I could tell. I sighed and walked away. I had to study for my Prediction Practical. As I sat in my desk, I watched Spit Fyre flying over the Dragon Kennel, which was in construction and being built with very thick iron, so Spit Fyre couldn't break it. I wished I was Spit Fyre. No worries, no conscience, flying, you can't understand what people say, you don't have mental problems, _flying_ … Life is simple when you're a dragon. I focused my thoughts back on my Prediction Practical. After about five hours of studying, I read my poem. I suppose it was disturbing. I got my pen and my notebook to write down a sequel to it.

"Truth is revealed in this world. Truth is terrifying in this world. Truth is the only thing in this world. However… Truth is nothing in this world, Truth is everything in this world. Haha! Too complicated for us to understand. What is this? Truly amazing. Perhaps it is not so bad after all. What we see are lies. This is truth. IT is truth. Could anything be more different?"

I reread it. It might be confusing to other people but it made perfect sense to me. It felt right. I made a note to myself to show Alther. He was the only one who appreciated my poems. Alther flew in at that moment. _Perfect timing_ , I thought as he sat, or more floated, beside me. "Do you have a new poem, Sierra?"

"In fact, Alther, I just made one. Please read it." I waited a few minutes as he looked over my shoulder and read every word of it. "Mmm, very interesting. I trust this to be a sequel of your previous one?" I nodded. "Ah, I see. Sierra, there is a lot of truth in this. A lot of the things you write make a lot of sense, and they tell exactly what reality is. You really should make more of these."

"Oh, Alther, I showed my poems to quite a few people but they said they were creepy and disturbing. That if I write poems like that I should work at Gothyk Grotto instead of sitting here being a fancy Apprentice."

"They are small-minded people."

"That's what Sep said."

We sat there for a while, silent. Alther spoke up. "I believe it is well past your bedtime. And, for the record, I love your poems. They are the best things I ever read in my Living Time and here, as a Ghost." I smiled. I loved Alther. He was like a father to me. Soon, the ghost floating next to me floated away, out the window. I watched him to a few somersaults before flying upright, balancing on the square on the top of the golden Pyramid.

The next day I was writing another poem while walking on Wizard Way, but the gale picked up my paper and blew it away. I walked past Gothyk Grotto where JoJo Heap, Septimus's idiot brother, took notice of me and threw an empty bottle at me. Or I thought it was empty. He had missed and it was rolling down the street. I picked it up and took out the cork. Inside was a paper. I unrolled it and inside in capitals read, "FREAK! IT'S A GOOD THING YOUR PARENTS DIED CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU, INSANE RETARD!" I tensed up. No one knew about my parents. _No one_. JoJo and his friends must have seen me shaking because they said (excluding JoJo, because he remained silent), "Crybaby! I'm Sierra and I'm crying because of a little letter! Wah, wah, wah! Oh, look at me! I'm such a sad _orphan_!" I turned on my heel and stared at them. Hard. In an instant, all their knees started bleeding, minus JoJo's because I think he walked away because he didn't want to make fun of me. His friends grabbed their legs and dropped to the ground. "Look who's crying _now_ ," I muttered as I walked away. "FREAK!" one of them shouted at me as he lay sprawled on the floor.


	7. Time's Up

**(sorry if the last chapter was a bit of a bum, I used it as a bit of a filler. Most of this chapter is filler too, but who gives a f***)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Septimus was troubled. JoJo had told him what happened at Gothyk Grotto. And Jenna. And Beetle. And Rose. And I was in the middle of the circle of their disapproving stares. "You just made the image of you worse than it already is. And don't think we don't know what's happening around you. We all notice," came Rose's disappointed voice. "It just happened, okay? They knew something I didn't want them to know and shouted it out. So I just stared at them angrily and the flesh in their knees ripped open. I didn't know what was going on and I calmly walked away so they wouldn't know that I didn't know what I had just done," I exclaimed, frustrated. Jenna made a teeth-sucking noise. "You just made things worse for you! If you had shown that you had nothing to do with it people wouldn't grow more distant from you as they are now!"

"How can I control what I'm doing? Go on, tell me! Stop looking at people? Stop talking to people? Stop interacting? Stop feeling anything? What am I supposed to do? Huh?" I asked, feeling myself getting hot. I tried calming down but couldn't. Why was everything so hard? I stared at my feet, as I, two weeks ago, willed it all to go away. I could feel my insanity reaching to a point and panicked. "STOP!" I screamed. Everything froze. I stood in place, wondering why everything was so still. A leaf blowing in the wind stopped abruptly and hovered in midair, as if wondering where to go. I suddenly went cold. I stopped time. _Time_. Who could ever do that? Hotep-Ra? Hotep-Ra! He must know. He found out how to build a place that could suspend time. I knew I couldn't use the Dragon Boat, she was frozen too. Could I **Transport** to the House of Foryx? But no one can **Transport** that far. But I learned in my time as Marcia's Apprentice that apparently I was the most powerful. So surely I can **Transport** all the way to the House of Foryx? "Sorry, Sep," I muttered as I took the Questing Stone from his pocket. I knew that this was a pass for people who completed the Queste, but I had not done that. I snipped off a strand of his hair. Maybe if I held something belonging to him and the Questing Stone I would be able to Return to my own Time. Maybe it would work. Hopefully it would work. I put the Questing Stone in my Apprentice belt and the snippet of hair, and **Sealed** them there so they wouldn't fall out. Now was the moment of truth. I gathered all the power I had, and did the **Transport**. Any normal Ordinary Wizard would have laughed at this, for another Wizard to gather all the **Magyk** they had to do a simple **Transport** , but this was farther than anyone had ever traveled before, and so I wasn't sure that it would work at all. But I had to try. I felt a purple haze form around me and my figure slowly fading away. ALl at once, I was at the front of the doors to the House of Foryx, with the snow blowing into my face. I **UnSealed** the pocket in my belt and quickly snatched the hair out before it could blow away. I took out the Questing Stone. The doorman came out and opened the door. I walked in uncertainly but didn't hear the door close. I saw the door stand in place and the doorman too. The wind and snow froze. I was close to tears. My spell spread here too. But at least I could get out easily. I ran up the stairs leading to Hotep-Ra's rooms. I knocked as hard as I could. After what seemed like hours, and it might have been, for I had no sense of time, the door opened, revealing a tall woman with long, dark hair. I recognized her as Talmar Ray Bell. "Talmar! Thank goodness. Where is Hotep-Ra?" I asked. "You must be Sierra Everleigh! How nice to see you! Is everything going well?"

"Everything is _not_ going well and I need to see Hotep-Ra. Now," I said, a little impatiently. "I will go and get him. Please excuse me." She turned back inside and closed the door. I groaned. It could be years until he came out. When he did, I sighed. I could only imagine my Time. As soon as I stepped out and undid the spell, everyone and everything would make up for the time they had lost and crumble and fall. I couldn't bear to think of it. "Hotep-Ra!" I cried. "Oh, please help me! I accidentally froze time…" I trailed off. "Ms. Everleigh, I am sure it will be alright. Now, let's see what has happened."

"I told you what has happened! I stopped time and it's a disaster!"

"Do not be silly. No one can stop time. Not even me. Hey, why is the door open? And why is the doorman just standing there?"

"Because I've stopped time! That's what I've been telling you! TIME HAS STOPPED!"

"Oh, my."

"Oh, for goodness sake, please help me end the damned spell!" I shouted. He looked shocked. I was so frustrated that I could not speak. I finally found my voice. "Just help me."

"Well, I cannot go outside, or else I will freeze too. I can't understand how you did this, as no one c-" I cut him off. "I AM BLOODY INSANE! I AM THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER OF THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER OF THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER OF THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER OF THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER! I CAN'T CONTROL MY POWER! I CAN'T CONTROL MY **MAGYK**! AND YOU ARE HERE RANTING ON ABOUT HOW NO ONE CAN STOP TIME WHEN ALL I NEED IS TO END THE DAMNED BLOODY SPELL!" I screamed. "WHAT IS SO HARD IN UNDERSTANDING THAT?!" He shook his head. I could tell he was thinking how difficult children had become. "I DON'T CARE IF CHILDREN ARE DIFFICULT, _YOU_ ARE BEING DIFFICULT. Please. Just. Help. Me. End. The. Spell." My lips ripped with the effort of screaming. I think Hotep-Ra finally understood what I was saying because he said, "All right. All you need to say is, ' _Furthermore, Time has stopped. I must untie the knot. To continue the life of Thee, the flow in Time I shall Free_.' I hope that solves your dilemma. And forgive me for making you wait so long, I understand that you are frustrated and disoriented. I do not blame you for your outbursts, nor despise you. I bid you good day." With that, he turned and strode to his rooms. I thought Hotep-Ra was an amazing man, given what Septimus told me about him, but he was very unhelpful. I did a quick **Forget** spell on everyone in the House of Foryx, including Hotep-Ra so they would not remember me nor what I had said, and I ran out the doors. Thankfully I Returned to my own Time. I chanted, " _Furthermore, Time has stopped. I must untie the knot. To continue the life of Thee, the flow in Time I shall Free_." I imagined the snow blowing and the wind howling and my friends continuing their disappointed stares but blinking this time. When I opened my eyes, I saw the snow blowing and heard the wind howling. I **Transported** back to the Wizard Tower just as my friends were beginning to move their eyes and slipped the Questing Stone back into Septimus's pocket. I threw the strand of hair away, as I figured it was weird to keep clutching it in my hand, and stood in the middle of my friends. When they blinked, I laughed in relief. They all looked so confused but I didn't care. I hugged them so hard, I thought I would never see them again, in fear they might crumble down to dust. Septimus did a **MindScreen** on me and smiled. "Glad you did it," he said, and I grinned. But not for long. I glanced out the window and saw the unmistakable shape of Una Brakket.


	8. Running

**(let's just say when Sierra comes back from House of Foryx the sun has set)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 8~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Una Brakket was hovering outside the window, with a malicious smile on her pinched face. Although she was about twenty-two stories above the ground, I could see a **Shadow** behind her. I was confused. Why wasn't the **Shadow** affecting her? Why was it just hugging her body as if it were her friend? That certainly did not happen when Marcia was **Shadowed**. She had not believed anything Septimus said and became more irritable by the second. And here Una Brakket was, completely unaffected by the **Shadow** looming over her. I mentally slapped myself. Una Brakket was a _**Darke**_ woman. Of course the **Shadow** would come to love her. But why? **Shadows** were meant to torture and make its victim suffer, weren't they? I shook all thoughts from my mind. Una Brakket was here, and there was no doubt she had come for me. "Sierra," she said in a sugary-sweet voice that made me shiver. "Would you like to leave your friends? I'm sure you'd like to come with me." I was furious. She tortured my parents and had the nerve to come back? The nerve to look me in the eye? "No, I don't, you murderous fiend. And I'm sure your pinched brain can process what I'm saying. It's the size of a grasshopper, but even grasshoppers know when to buzz off, unlike you. Your nerve and guts will be the blame for your own demise." She shook her head, as if I didn't know what I was saying. "You don't. You really don't want to stay. Come with me." A spot of blue flashed across her eyes and it disappeared. I felt myself weakening. My friends didn't care for me, did they? They just yelled at me for something I wasn't responsible for. Why should I stay with them anyway? "Yes, come with me," she said, smiling. I stepped forward and reached my hand out. Someone suddenly grabbed me from behind and I came back to my senses. "Stupid witch," I heard Una mutter under her breath. "Said the Twilight Trawl would work." I ignored her and looked behind me to see all my friends lying on the floor, except for Rose. Her wiry arm was shaking as she held on to me. "Don't listen to her," she whispered as she collapsed. I suddenly became very scared. Una Brakket was powerful enough to **Entrance** me and weaken my friends to the point where they were unconscious. She had almost made me do her job of destroying me. I ran towards the doors to Marcia's rooms. They recognized me and swung open. I jumped onto the silver spiral stairs and set it on Emergency mode. They whizzed down like a bullet. All the Wizards on the other floors saw was a speck of green belonging to my tunic as the stairs sped on. I felt horribly dizzy when they came to a halt at the bottom but I didn't care. I had to get out of the Wizard Tower. My eyes laid on the broom cupboard and there they stayed. The Ice Tunnels. That was my escape. I raced toward the broom cupboard and slammed the door shut, when a horrible thought came over me. One was the fact that Una Brakket had the **Flyte Charm**. Where she got it from, I have no idea. The second was that she was _inside_ the Wizard Tower. A **Darke** Wizard inside the Wizard Tower is not a particularly good match. I silently crept to the back of the cupboard and lifted up the trapdoor to the Ice Tunnels. It did not creak. I took a deep breath as if I was diving into a pool of water and jumped inside.

A burst of icy air hit me as I fell through the trapdoor. I landed on my feet, thankfully, but my ankles hurt terribly. I quickly **Sealed** the trapdoor and started walking. Immediately I slipped and fell. Thankfully, the Wizard Tower sled was tied to a conveniently placed ring in the wall. I untied the rope and climbed onto it. It was a beautiful thing. However, I had no time to think about its beauty. There was a **Darke** Wizard out to get me, she had an incredibly powerful and ancient **Charm** , and she was inside the Wizard Tower, possibly draining it of all its **Magyk**. I kicked the sled and it was off, going around bends and curves and taking twists and turns. There was one place I needed to go and that was Marcellus's house on Snake Slipway. I was climbing the ladder up to the trapdoor and told the sled to go back to the Wizard Tower, where it was before I rode it. Like a faithful dog, it left. As soon as I **Saw** the sled back in its place, I heard a Human Heartbeat. Una had discovered my escape route. I clambered up the ladder as fast as I could and **Sealed** it. One thing I loved about the Ice Tunnels was that it had lots of sled marks, thanks to Beetle. Though he was Chief Hermetic Scribe, he still acted as Inspection Clerk and rode about just for the fun of it. So, even if Una Brakket were to follow sled tracks, she would most definitely choose the wrong one to follow. Another thing I loved, not about the Ice Tunnels but about the Wizard Tower sled, was that it had this purple cloth thingy. If you rub it on the runners, the sled will run smoothly with no mistake nor bump nor halt. It would also make the sled tracks look old instead of fresh and new. So, again, if Una were to follow sled tracks, she wouldn't be able to find mine, for it would appear to be from a long time ago rather than a few minutes ago. I smiled. I outsmarted her.

I found out later that I indeed had _not_ outsmarted her and that she knew all these little secrets. She found my track and followed it all the way to Marcellus. During that time, while she was slipping and sliding, I was shakily telling Marcellus what had happened over a cup of tea. It was delightfully warm after the chill of the Ice Tunnels. "I see," he said. "And I suppose she was **Shadowed** , was she?" I nodded. "That was Ellis Crackle, DomDaniel's first Apprentice. I suppose he is supplying her the **Darke** energy she needs to, er, kill you."

"Wouldn't he be jealous? That Una is the Apprentice and all that?"

"Aye, that would be something for him to know and us to figure out, wouldn't it? Though I believe that Ellis might be doing it to, at the end of it, double-cross her so he can have the power, or whatever she has that he desires."

"Like a **Darke** Apprenticeship?"

"DomDaniel's dead. He wouldn't be Apprenticed to anyone. Perhaps it's just a power struggle. Or, when he becomes **Substantial** enough, become a **Darke** Wizard and take over. It's all really foolish if you ask me." I agreed. I read plenty of stories on power struggles and crises, and it was all really silly to me. Who cares for power? You can have more interesting things to argue over, like the price of fish or something. I found myself relaxing a little. "But what about Septimus and Jenna and Beetle and Rose? What will happen to them?" Marcellus smiled, so I figured what will happen couldn't be none too bad. "They are just weak. They might wobble a bit, when they wake up, but-" I cut him off. "But they will most certainly wake up, won't they?"

"Of course, of course."

"So how long might they be asleep, or unconscious, or whatever they are?"

"Two hours to two days, maybe. Sometimes it might be three days, but that's not a lot, is it?" I shook my head. "Anyways, that Una has got a pebble for a brain. There is as little chance she will find you as there is a chance to create and destroy matter." I shook my head fondly. Marcellus was like a brother sometimes, but then again, we were distant relatives, so he might as well be.

 _Una was three-quarters of the way to Marcellus's house._

"Why do they want me anyway?" I asked. "Why do they want me dead?"

"Once you are dead, Una will take your power. With that power, she will rule the world or something like that. Nonsense dreams. She wouldn't be able to rule an ant."

 _Una was looking up the trapdoor. She smiled._

I had a vague feeling of a murkiness in the air, but pushed it away. I was beginning to trust what Marcellus said. She couldn't do anything, really, considering she lost my trail when I ran into the broom cupboard. I fully relaxed into the chair I was sitting in. For the first time since I ripped the flesh of those idiots at Gothyk Grotto, I was content. I felt… normal. Suddenly there was a tremendous crash from the kitchen and the next thing I saw was inevitable blackness.


	9. Caged

**(i will be switching between first and third person from now on)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" _Sierra_ ," sang a beautiful voice. " _Wake up_." I had a horrible feeling that I was on the Isles of Syren and what was singing was the Syren. But that couldn't be, because as I looked around, I saw a rectangular stone room. Septimus had been all over the Isles of Syren and told me every little detail about it, so I could not be there. But where was I? I got up to walk around but fell back down. There were chains around my wrists connected to the floor. They had a purple mist about them that looked like **Magyk**. But then I realized it was _my_ **Magyk**. I groaned and slumped over. How could I let her get me? How did she find me even? Suppose she got Marcellus? Was there even a Marcellus anymore? That Una was really something. There was more to her wiry frame than I thought. Una was thoughtful enough to leave me enough **Magyk** to **See** what was happening at the Wizard Tower, as I figured I wouldn't be much use, and I definitely couldn't escape. There was a shaft of light from a badly placed brick, and I figured it had to be morning. Just to be sure, I stretched my arm (which could thankfully go that far) and scratched ticks in the floor, as I was taught to do at the Wizard Tower. I placed my little finger in the middle of the shaft and it cast a shadow on one of the ticks. 10:00 AM. I must be facing east if the sun was rising. The Wizard Tower was in the east too. But where was I? I tried to see through the hole where the brick was misplaced, but all I saw was trees. Trees! That must be the Forest, meaning I must be in the Castle walls! Which means that the Wizard Tower is in the west. I turned to my left and put my left hand in front of my eyes, which wasn't easy to do. I touched the tip of my index and thumb to make the typical **Seeing** sign. I also knew, thanks to my knowledge of PathFinders, this was the PathFinder sign for "okay". It might have been natural for me to make the sign, since I did, after all, have a sort of distant PathFinder heritage. I focused my thoughts back to **Seeing**. I saw a clear image of Marcia's rooms in the Wizard Tower.

 **(okay, this is where it begins to be third person omniscient, when Sierra is seeing everything)**

 _Septimus was the first to wake up. He looked around him, trying to figure out what had happened that turned his bones to jelly. And then it struck him. He remembered Una hovering outside the window,_ _ **Entrancing**_ _Sierra. And nothing more. But then, as he focused his eyes, he realized Sierra was simply not there. Panic welled up inside him. Una had got her. Beetle woke up after a few minutes, rubbing his eyes. "Wassamatter Sep?" he asked, blearily. Septimus shook his head in despair. Sierra was gone, and it had to be his fault. "Sep, seriously, what happened?" Beetle asked again, feeling more awake. "Sierra is gone. Una got her. I hate that woman!" he slammed his fist on the floor. Jenna sat up with a start. Rose got up too, the faint memories of a warm breeze fading. "Where is she?" Jenna asked, getting worried. Everyone knew who "she" was. Rose spoke up, with a guilty look in her eyes. "It was my fault," she whispered. "She was_ _ **Entranced**_ _and then I grabbed her and my stupid self collapsed. I can't believe it. I should have shaken her enough but I didn't, and now she's gone. Because of me." A tear slid down her cheek._

I myself was silently crying. They truly did care. It wasn't just for show. I went back to **Seeing**.

" _It's not your fault," Jenna said soothingly while stroking Rose's arm. "It's none of our faults. Simply Una's. And we can't just stay here like sitting ducks while Sierra could possibly be dying. We have to go and save her. Who knows what's happening to her right now?" Beetle stood up. "She's right. What if we wait a few more minutes and we find her lifeless? Just her body and ghost left?" Septimus got up and took Rose's arm. "Come with me. I'm going to have to tell the_ _ **Charm**_ _Wizard what happened and inform her about you. And as her Apprentice, you're going to have to confront her too." Rose smiled gratefully and they walked out the door speedily, leaving Beetle and Jenna alone. "Jenna," Beetle said, a bit scared of what might happen. "Sierra and the others wanted me to tell you something." Jenna took her eyes off the doors through which Septimus and Rose went through to look at Beetle. She blinked and felt something on her cheek. She looked at Beetle questioningly. "Was that you?" she hesitated. Beetle nodded. "That's what I needed to tell you."_

" _For how long?" she questioned._

" _Ever since we put together DomDaniel's bones. But then I was positively sure when we went with Sep on the Queste."_

" _Ah."_

" _I get it. I just needed to tell you."_

" _That's not what I meant," she quavered. "I wondered if you knew about me." Beetle looked at his friend, shocked. "You're the same?" she nodded. He felt joy welling in his heart. "Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you," she tentatively said. He obeyed the Queen and felt something on his cheek. It was only for a second, but it was enough to make his heart burst._

So it finally happened, I thought.

 _Jenna and Beetle walked out hand in hand, meeting Septimus and Rose in the Great Hall. The clouded expression on Septimus's face turned into a grin as he looked at Beetle and Jenna. He shook Rose and pointed to them. She beamed. "It's about time!" she exclaimed. Beetle turned away and Jenna went red. "You both knew?" she asked. "We all did. Only about Beetle though. Not about you, Juliet," she said, making kissing noises. "Aye, stop that!" Jenna laughed as she shoved her hand over Rose's mouth. She turned towards Septimus. "What did the_ _ **Charm**_ _Wizard say?"_

" _Rose has her consent."_

" _Well, let's go looking for her!"_

 _Septimus nodded. Rose and Beetle followed his example. Jenna muttered the password and the silver doors to the Wizard Tower slowly opened. They squeezed through once the gap was big enough for a human being and raced off into the courtyard, looking for anything that might lead them to their friend._

I was rattled when I heard something slam. What I **Saw** evaporated, and became a distant memory. Una's slim figure appeared, holding a crust of bread. I glowered. "What do you want?" I snapped. "Oi! Be grateful, runt. I got you some food," she snarled. "Why did you leave me with some **Magyk**?" I asked her, eyeing the crust of bread warily. "Your insanity wouldn't let me take anymore, punk. Anyway, save your energy. Don't bother trying to **See** anything. Once your **Magyk** builds up, I'll be able to take more. Anyways, I've got something equally fine so you can see what your friends are doing. And what I'll do to them." She chuckled and brought Simon's Camera Obscura. I thought that was lost, but apparently not. She caught my gaze upon it and smiled. "Recognize this? That Simon was always resourceful. Pity he's gone away from the **Darke** , don't know what got into him. I'll seek him out and bring him back."

"Where am I?"

"Thought you might figure out, since you are so very intelligent and my brain's the size of a grasshopper. You're in the Castle walls." I was so relieved but didn't show it. That meant Alther could come up here. "How high up?" I asked. "About sixty-seven feet in the air. Don't bother trying to escape. If you try to get out, you'll fall to death." I slumped over, but in truth, I was bursting in cheers. It would be easy to escape this place. In case Una was doing a **MindScreen** , I did a fake thought of me rotting away in this cramped place, which had to be what Una wanted me to think. It was. "Don't worry sweetie, you won't rot away here. When you can't build up **Magyk** I'm just going to finish you off with this," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. She held up a knife with a lapis lazuli encrusted hilt. "It's got a **Darke** -tipped point, so even if my stab doesn't kill you, the poison of the **Darke** will spread through your body and slowly eat away at you. You'll be dead over a course of a few weeks." She cackled, which needed some work. It sounded somewhat like a pig giving birth and dying at the same time. She disappeared in a flash, and I was working up energy to **Summon** Alther.


	10. Escapee

**thanks for the reviews** **\ (•◡•) /**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was working up my energy to **Summon** Alther. I knew Una had to come up here personally when my **Magyk** had built up enough to make her powerful but not too much that I could escape. She had planned to come every two days to collect my **Magyk** , based on her "calculations", but it sounded more like Jillie Djinn's calculations. I wouldn't have been surprised if Jillie was in league with her. She was always trying to find a way to get revenge on Marcia, but draining me of **Magyk** , to me, is a strange kind of revenge. But there was another thing nagging at me. I was a very distant relative of Jenna and Marcellus, since I was connected to the royal family. Jenna was Septimus's adopted sister, so I was kind of and kind of not related to him. I was already related to two of my friends. I looked at the Camera Obscura. An image of my friends, tired and worn, appeared.

" _I can't find her, Beetle," Septimus said as he plopped down on one of the chairs in the Palace. "_ _ **Magyk**_ _is more complicated than 'hey! I'll do this without anything at all!'"_

" _Gee, Sep. Didn't mean it like that. Can't you do a_ _ **Fetch**_ _or something like that?"_

" _The problem is Sierra's a human, not an object." Septimus sighed in frustration. "We'll have to find her the old-fashioned way."_

 _Rose slumped over. She really believed Sierra's kidnapping was her fault, despite the others' thoughts that it was no one's fault. Una was a terrible woman, and even though she was stupid, Rose couldn't believe she had managed to capture Sierra. And what would happen to her now? What if when they found her Sierra would just be a lifeless, rotting body? Alther floated into the Palace. He had heard of their efforts in Sierra's rescue. "How is the search going?" he asked as he floated over to where Septimus was sitting. He glowered at Alther. Alther, who was used to more enthusiasm from Septimus, was utterly shocked. He tried something else. "Is there anything I can do to help?"_

" _How can you help? You're not even Living," Septimus snapped. Now Alther had become depressed. Only once had he heard that tone of voice before, a few months ago. From Sierra. Suddenly he was whisked away, leaving Jenna bewildered. Surely Alther was there just a second before? She turned to Septimus. "You could have been more respectful to him, Sep," she hesitated, before continuing. "He has always been good to you." Septimus glared at her. "Well, he can't help! That's the truth! He won't be able to help me find the love of my-" he stopped after realizing what he just said, and after discovering a change of expression in each of his friends' faces. Jenna looked confused; Rose jovial; Beetle astonished. "Forget anything I said," he muttered, feeling embarrassed._

At this point, Alther was where I was now. "Maybe you could **C** **ause** something to happen," I was saying. "To break the chains. You see that weird brick there? I could break it out and make a hole big enough for me to get through. Then I could climb up and get to the top of the walls, **Fetch** the bricks and stuff and put them the way they used to be. And I'd climb down to the ground and be free. Easy-peasy." Alther snorted. "Are you sure you can climb _that_ high? And are you sure you can climb down about one hundred feet?"

"It's the only escape plan I have. And besides, how hard could it be?"

"Considering you have your Apprentice robes on."

He had a point. They went down to my knees. I said a silent apology to Marcia and ripped off half of it. Now it went to the middle of my thighs. Alther was aghast. "You know what Marcia will say about that, right?" he asked, still dismayed. "Aye, what will she care about my clothing when she finds out I had just been kidnapped and drained?" Alther nodded in agreement. "So what exactly should I do to break… _that_?" he asked. I thought for a moment, and **Fetched** a stone from the river and the foot of the walls. It took all my willpower to send it through the wall instead of making it crash into it. It landed with a thump on the floor, next to my chains. I gasped. "You're going to have to do this next part, Alther," I said, panting. He sighed and **Caused** the stone to land on the chains. He too, gasped for breath. "Why you had to pick such a large stone, I have no idea," he said, breathless. "To break this. And thank you Alther, I appreciate it." He managed a half-smile and left me to see if it was broken. I tried to get up but couldn't. It didn't work. I groaned, frustrated and attempted to wrench my hands free. I was thrown against the wall, the air winded out of my lungs. I put out my hands in front of me and laughed with relief. I was _free!_ "Oh, thank you Alther!" I exclaimed. He enveloped me in a ghostly hug. I could feel my **Magyk** returning more rapidly than it had when I was still chained to the floor. I went over to where the weird brick was and pulled it out. A new brick took its place and the one I pulled out disappeared. Confused, I pushed it. To my amazement, the bricks surrounding the misshapen brick folded themselves up and formed a sort of… hole in the wall. Then, what used to be a distorted brick turned into a platform. I smiled. "Is this why they call that tavern in the Castle walls the Hole in the Wall tavern?" I asked. Alther shrugged. "I don't know. Let's walk out. Your escape became a lot easier."

"Told ya."

We walked onto the platform and there was a metal ladder built in. It was like Una had purposely made it this simple to get out of there. She really was stupid. I shook my head in amusement as I climbed the ladder. When I looked down, the platform disappeared, there was no "hole in the wall", and the steps that I had previously climbed faded away. I had no fear of heights, so I climbed onward and upward. It was when I reached the thick ledge that I realized that I didn't have to climb all the way down. I just needed to walk to the Ramblings, climb down a little, land on a roof or balcony or patio or something, walk through and reach the ground. Or I could **Transport**. I cursed myself for being stupid. _I could_ _ **Transport**_.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MEANWHILE...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jenna was taking Beetle, Septimus, and Rose through the Queen's Way. The ghost of Queen Cerys jumped as her daughter led many visitors through the door to the Queen's Room. She shook her head. _Kids these days_ , she thought as she settled back in her chair. Marcia had again visited Wolf Boy, or Marwick, as he preferred now, in the Marram Marshes to check up on him. And the Marram Marshes was where they were going. Jenna took Rose and Septimus inside the cupboard labeled UNSTABLE POTIONS AND PARTIKULAR POISONS. She felt in one of the drawers in the cupboard, flicked the switch inside, and appeared in Keeper's Cottage. Jenna went back to get Beetle. He closed the door behind them and kissed Jenna softly. He pulled away and saw her smiling. They went to Keeper's Cottage where they found Marwick, Sam Heap, and Marcia.

"Marwick!" Rose yelled. "You have to help us. Sierra was kidnapped by Una Brakket!" Marcia stood up. "What?!" she screamed. "Marwick, please take us to her. Now." He nodded and went over to the cupboard. Marcia looked at him quizzically. Septimus walked over to where she was standing. "Marcia, you're going to have to **Transport** there."

"And what about you?"

"We'll stay with 409 - I mean Marwick." Marcia got a distinct feeling they were hiding something from her but shrugged it off. Sierra was in trouble and that was all that mattered. She **Transported** to the Palace and waited for the others to come. A few minutes later, all of them met Marcia. She was shocked. How did they get here so fast? They didn't even come through the front gates. She shook her head. It must be a Keeper secret. Suddenly, Marwick twitched. "This way," he said, running off into the courtyard. They ran behind him. All were out of breath and panting when he stopped at a dead end by the Ramblings. "Here," he whispered. Marcia was annoyed. He had led them to a dead end and Sierra was nowhere to be seen. Alther's ghost flew up to her. "Sierra's really resourceful, you know," he said. Marcia's hopes soared. That meant Sierra was there after all. But where? "Where is she, Alther?" she asked, half expecting her to come at her from behind. "At the top of the Castle walls. **Transporting** down here. Should be here in 3, 2, 1," at that moment a purple mist appeared in front of Marwick. He jumped back, and so did everyone else.

 **(back to first person)**

"Hi," I said, wondering why everyone looked so relieved. And then I remembered I was kidnapped by a retarded weirdo. Marcia swept me up in a hug. I was amazed. Marcia never hugged anyone. Everyone else hugged me and I felt… happy. Everyone but Septimus. I did a quick **MindScreen** on him and smiled. Someone did love me after all.


	11. Corner of my Eye

**(you may think it's over, but it's just the beginning. Also, sorry for the long wait. Got to juggle holidays, school and chores at the same time. And thank you, Lillianna, for the kind reviews! I'm really glad you like it!)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 11~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were walking to the Wizard Tower. Even Beetle and Jenna were going, to celebrate my, to me, insignificant return. It was two days. Only two days I was missing, so there was literally no need to celebrate. The people in the Castle still thought I was an alien here, and not the extraterrestrial kind. But these thoughts were inferior to the fact that someone indeed did love me. I felt so overjoyed and special. Is this what it feels like to be loved? Septimus was lagging behind, acting really sulky. I kind of knew why and I kind of didn't. The only reason I could think of why was because he didn't want to be embarrassed by the others, but this was done by a **MindScreen**. But why he would be embarrassed, I have no idea. Anyway, Marcia abruptly stopped. "There's something murky in the air here, I can feel it." Septimus stepped forward, but Marcia put her hand out to stop him. "No, it's strong. Let's get going, I don't like this." She quickened her pace, and as I tried to catch up to her, I caught something deep blue at the corner of my eye. I turned around, but there was nothing there. Spooked, I joined the rest. After we passed under the Great Arch, I began to feel safer. Una may have been stupid, but the image of that knife was stuck in my head. However, being inside the Wizard Tower or even the courtyard supplied me with the feeling of safety and protection. I wanted nothing more than to run through the doors and smell the sweet smell of incense, hear the soft chants and incantations, and feel the swirling feeling of **Magyk**. Maybe I felt protected because it was the only home I ever had. And then I was in my home. My wonderful, **Magykal** home. Septimus resumed his place in the back and all the Ordinary Wizards stood their normal two feet away from me, though some who had heard of the incident at Gothyk Grotto stayed seven feet away, for luck, and I assumed as a **Magykal** shield of some kind. This did not make me feel better, let alone welcome, but what happened next did. "Wizards and Apprentices, may I have your attention!" Marcia shouted, her voice echoing against the walls of the Great Hall. Once she was sure all eyes were on her, she continued.

"The Queen, Chief Hermetic Scribe, the **Charm** Wizard Apprentice, former ExtraOrdinary Wizard, my own Apprentice, and I gather here on this day, of course in the company of you all," she paused, due to some mutterings by a group of Apprentices. "Is there something you would like to say?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently. One snitchy Apprentice, whom I knew to be Thomas Bellwood, spoke up. "They said, 'Get on with it, old hag!' Madam Marcia!" he said, smiling broadly. "Well _they_ can get _out_ , if they don't want to hear what I have to say."

"Gladly," I heard one of them mutter as they hurriedly walked to their dormitories. Once they were inside and the doors were closed, Marcia continued. "As I was saying, our guests have come here to celebrate the return of my other Apprentice, Sierra Everleigh!" This was met by a chorus of groans, protests, and the occasional insult forwarded to me. I didn't care about this, because, again, the fact that someone loved me overshadowed everything else happening, but it made the fact that Marcia was celebrating me feel a little less good. Marcia, however, was furious. "How dare you!" she yelled, and a hushed silence fell over the Wizards and Apprentices. "What has Sierra done that makes you hate her so much?" A brave voice broke the silence. "She made the workers at Gothyk Grotto bleed!" Marcia gave that boy a withering stare. "For your information, _all_ of you," she glared at her audience. "Sierra did _nothing_. Her stare did _nothing_. Una Brakket was after her and was stalking her. To make Sierra hated and alienated, _she_ ripped their knees open. All wicked **Darkenesse**." Thomas Bellwood shouted, "Stop protecting her!"

"You can join those other Apprentices I sent away. And the rest of you will give Sierra respect." Marcia was satisfied by her effect on the audience before her. "We will be holding a party in the Wizard Tower for Sierra's return and I expect you all to be there." She eyed everyone. "And I demand you all give her respect and not treat her like some untamed animal." There were a few murmurings and then everyone nodded and went back to their rooms. She turned to me. "I am sorry, Sierra, I really wish they would treat you like they did before. I expect you are hungry, though." I nodded. The others turned to leave but Marcia stopped them. "You're coming too!" she laughed. I was shocked and so were the others. When was the last time we heard Marcia laugh? Last week? Month? Year? I followed Beetle, Jenna, Rose, Marcia, and Alther as they stepped on the stairs, leaving me with Septimus. I gave him a half smile and we stepped on the stairs. "I expect the others told you about me," he whispered. I shook my head and he looked relieved. "But I know," I said. He flushed. "I'm happy, though. I'm really happy." His expression changed from embarrassment to happiness. "Then I can do this, then." He leaned forward and pecked my cheek. I stepped back a little, a mixture of astonishment and joy on my face. "I didn't deserve _that_ , Sep," I laughed a bit. "Yeah, you did. Rose told us what you wanted." He did it again. "No, really, I don't," I said, backing away. He looked at me quizzically. "Why?" There are so many reasons _why_ , I thought. My insanity is _why_. Your safety being at risk is _why_. Everyone's safety at risk is _why_. I really hoped he would read my thoughts, because frankly, I really didn't want to say it out loud. Septimus loving me was enough, but physically showing it would put everyone in danger.

"Why?" he asked again. "Just read my thoughts, I don't want to say it out loud," I said a little curtly. At this point we were on the top floor of the Wizard Tower. "Oh," Septimus said, who I guessed now knew _why_. I nodded. He nodded back and we entered Marcia's rooms. "Coffee pot!" I heard Marcia bark as soon as we went through the doors. "End that quarrel between you and the oven! NOW!" I never really got used to Marcia talking to her furniture or kitchen supplies. Today was no exception. I looked at Marcia, confused as she was yelling at her oven and coffee pot to "make up!" as she put it. Soon enough, the coffee pot was making coffee and after, the oven was intentionally burning it. Marcia shook her head and poured the coffee and took out a few biscuits. "Tell me what happened," she said. I took a bite of biscuit and said, "There was the incident at Gothyk Grotto. So Beetle, Jen, Sep, and Rose were scolding me up here. I got flustered and stopped time and-" I was cut off by Marcia. "You stopped time?!"

"It wasn't a big deal. Hotep-Ra said the same-"

"Hotep-Ra?!"

"Okay. I **Transported** the the House of Foryx-"

"How?" Marcia put her hand on her forehead. I took advantage and continued. "Yeah. So I stopped time and I reversed the spell and I came back here. Then I saw Una Brakket hovering out the window. She **Entranced** me and weakened the rest to the point where they passed out. Rose shook me so I wasn't **Entranced** anymore and then she collapsed. So I ran to the Ice Tunnels, took the Wizard Tower sled, and went to Marcellus's house. I sent the sled back and then Una went into the Ice Tunnels. She found me, I blacked out, and woke up imprisoned in the Castle walls." I paused, unsure if Marcia was going to say something. She didn't appear to want to say anything so I continued. "I **Summoned** Alther because Una was draining me of **Magyk** and I had just enough left to do that, so I did. I **Fetched** a big stone-"

"Through the wall?"

"Yes," I said, a little irritated. "Through the wall." I took a deep breath and continued. "Alther **Caused** it to land on my chains and it broke. There was a weird brick and I pushed it and there was a platform so I stepped on it and there was a ladder so I climbed it and when I was at the top it all disappeared and I **Transported** down," I quickly finished, pausing to take a breath. Marcia was impressed. "I didn't even teach all that and you managed to do it," she said, shaking her head in amazement. "I feel I should be _your_ Apprentice instead of the other way around." Septimus smiled and put his arm around me. "That's why you took her on," he said. "Sometimes Masters learn from their Apprentices, do they not?"

"Indeed," Marcia replied, looking down at her feet. Then she jumped up, green eyes glittering. "Anyway, don't we have a banquet to prepare?"


	12. Knives

**(sorry if the chapters from 7 to this one are really a bum. Also, DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Angie Sage. this chapter** _ **might**_ **be mostly dialogue, so please don't be bored. also, at the end, it was not a mistake when i wrote "Vera". if you dont get what i mean, read the beginning)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 12~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The banquet wasn't quite what Marcia had planned. It was what I expected, though. None of the Ordinary Wizards were talking. Five or six times I heard insults meant for me. I didn't care. Again, it was what I expected. Only Rose was talking to me. Septimus went with Marcia to try and change the attitudes of the Wizards. Others pulled Jenna and Beetle away, saying, "You don't know what she could do to you. Stay away." Anyway, Rose stayed with me, despite the **Charm** Wizard's protests otherwise. "Sierra, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, but what were your parents' names?"

"Hmm. My mother's name was Cora Everleigh. I think my father's was Cassius Hallewell."

"Ah. Their names sound really nice."

"They are. Opposed to my boring name. _Sierra_. It's so basic."

"No it's not. Hildegarde knows everyone in the Castle and you're the only one whose name is Sierra."

"I suppose. You know, they died before they decided on my name, so my mother's sister, Adeline, I believe, named me. But she died due to unforeseen circumstances. No sickness, no murder, not even old age, she was really young. Just died."

"Again, don't want you to be uncomfortable, but how do you know this stuff? Weren't you a baby?"

I shrugged. "Marcia told me. Wasn't the most pleasant history lesson, but at least I know my history. Why'd you bring it up?"

She shrugged this time and changed the subject. "You know how Septimus used to crush on that Syrah girl?" I nodded. "Do you believe those rumors that she's dating the ghost of Julius Pike?" I looked at her quizzically. "Who started _that_?"

"Thomas Bellwood." I tisked, That boy was really something. "Well, I don't believe it. Why would she be dating a _ghost_? Besides, don't Ghosts stop caring about the Living after a certain amount of time? It's really stupid. The rumor, I mean." She shrugged. "I wish they would treat you better though."

"They can think what they think. I don't really care." The air felt heavy at that moment, but I ignored it. I didn't ignore the next part, though. A distant wailing inside the thick walls of the Wizard Tower. I shuddered but put my ear up to the wall. " _Dieeee, dieeee, dieeee,"_ it seemed to be saying. " _The seventh daughter will be destroyeddddd."_ I backed away from the wall, and put up a **SafeShield** around everyone in the Banquet Hall. Thomas noticed the purple shimmer and screamed, "She's trying to kill us all!" There were mutterings from a few elderly Wizards. "I knew it. I knew she was no good. She can't be trusted." Then screams from Apprentices and everyone started using Spells to destroy the **SafeShield**. "No!" I screamed. "Stop it!" This only encouraged their attempts. One Apprentice made a hole but with a wave of my hand, the **SafeShield** repaired itself. Marcia shouted, "Silence!" but to no avail; they were all too stubborn to even listen to their ExtraOrdinary Wizard.

"Please," I pleaded. "Don't!" But they were all too stubborn to listen. Finally, Thomas escaped through a hole, and I repaired it too late. Through the **SafeShield** , I saw him lying dead on the floor. "Now you see?!" I screamed. "Now you see what happens when you go through?! I was trying to protect you all!" my voice hurt from screaming but I didn't care. They should've listened the first time. "But _no_ , you have to be stubborn and arrogant and think that I'm trying to kill you because of some stupid illness! There's **Darkenesse** out there, and when it seeps through, we'll all be dead. _All_ of us. So why don't you all stop being small-minded and self-centered and we can all survive this!" The elderly Wizards shook their heads. I could feel my anger boiling up. "That was exactly what Hotep-Ra was thinking," I said in a low voice. Then I raised it. " _He_ said children are so difficult these days. But you know what?" I started screaming again. "The children aren't being difficult! It's _you_ who's being difficult. You can't digest that _sometimes_ children are right, sometimes children have to talk some sense into the elders, and sometimes children know what's right instead of being so self-centered!" My voice was hoarse. Did insanity really cause life to be this hard? Something interrupted my thoughts. A pain shot up from my toes up my spine. My legs gave way and I collapsed on my knees, clutching my arms tightly. Thank goodness it was silent, everyone could hear my hushed whisper. "Continue the **SafeShield**." I couldn't move, and that includes not blinking. So I saw Marcia and Septimus putting up layers of **SafeShields** as it was possible to do so until all the Wizards were packed under a small dome. Jenna and Rose ran to my aid, but I could see no longer. I might have been unconscious except I sensed everything that I made a picture in my head of what was going on. Rose put a warm, wet towel on my forehead, and I had no idea where it came from. Jenna, along with obtaining her Witch Cloak, obtained a few powers as well. She said a Witchy **Awaken** chant.

" _Situations tense, possibilities narrow._ _ **Darke**_ _sleep in our marrow. No longer continue what_ _ **Darkened**_ _thee,_ _ **Awaken**_ _from thy sleep._ _ **Awaken, awaken, awaken**_ _!"_ I got up with a start and found Jenna and Rose grinning at each other. My eyes widened in horror. Behind them, through the **SafeShields** , was a man. Holding a _knife_. With a lapis lazuli hilt. The same voice I heard before called to me. " _Dieeee, dieeee, dieeee!"_ I was dragged towards the voice, and in place was Ellis Crackle, solid and human, no longer a **Shadow**. He was gripping me tightly, his hands taking away my energy. Marcia and the other Wizards were gone, having **Transported** away. All who were left was Septimus, Jenna, Beetle, and Rose, all staring, their eyes filled with terror. I smiled sorrowfully at them, eyes crying blood. _Run_ , I mouthed. They shook their heads, tears running down their faces. "We won't leave you here!" Septimus shouted. _You're going to die here_ , I thought. I stretched out my arm and flicked my wrist, **Transporting** them to safety. I glanced at Ellis, fearful and sorrowful. "Don't you remember?" he cackled. "The prophecy. The ultimate seventh will be destroyed. A bargain between your mother and the **Darke**. You will be protected until her first glance at you. Then you die. Of course, Cora was full of deceit. You were protected longer, love was your guardian. But who loves you now?" he laughed evilly. "Cora bargained with DomDaniel, but I knew that fat, pathetic man could do nothing. I was never Apprenticed to him. I was Apprenticed to Shamandrigger Saarn himself. He is still alive. He _will_ find you, _Vera_. I will bring you to him. _Dead_." He motioned towards the man with the knife. The knife flew to Ellis's hand and the man melted into the shadows. I finally found my voice and asked the question nagging at my mind. "Then who is Una Brakket?" I croaked. He grinned and I saw him turn into Una and then his own form. He put the knife to my throat. "Bye, bye, birdie," he murmured.


	13. Goodbye

**(sorry for the very very long wait. also please don't assume I'm racist cuz of the paragraph where I'm describing the dead ladies' skin)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 13~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ellis was struggling in slitting my throat. My eyes filled with rage. I finally remembered it all. I remembered my parents dying before my eyes. I remembered Adeline taking me away, terrified at her sister's death. I remembered Adeline's husband kicking me out and me being homeless, begging on the streets. I remembered the pain and starvation. I remembered getting beat by the older kids everyday. I remembered finally arriving at the Castle, bruised and bloodied by my most recent fight with an Umbra, a shadow monster with six red eyes, razor sharp wings, and terrible fangs. I remembered Marcia taking me in, and I remember mistaking pity for sympathy. And I remembered my name. My true name. Elara. Not Vera or Sierra. Elara. I was one of the building blocks of the living. And the universe. I remembered hearing my mother's history. That we were all seventh daughters. That we formed the universe. I remembered it all and I was furious. At Ellis. At Una. At DomDaniel. At the **Darke**. For making me die on the inside. I could feel my insanity eating me away, another addition to my pain. I didn't care anymore. Let it. I howled, but I knew it wasn't me. Ellis backed away, terror in his eyes. He waved the knife in front of me. "Stay b-back, Vera, I'm warning y-you." "I" swatted him away. He got up and melted in the shadows of the Great Hall. I knew what had happened to me. Dead. I was finally dead. My insanity got the best of me and finally came out of me. Replacing me was a tall, bony, black figure. Its eyes were filled with a dull orange glow. There were slits and holes in its skin and were filled with the same glow. And my dead body was trapped inside its heart.

 **(third person, hello again!)**

 _Rose's eyes were tearing up. "I can't believe this," she was saying, voice breaking between sobs. "She-she…"_

" _We all know what she did!" Septimus snapped, banging his fist against the walls of Aunt Zelda's cottage, or Marwick's cottage, ever since Aunt Zelda had died three years earlier. "She gave Ellis the chance to just slit her throat and_ _ **Transported**_ _us away. Sierra… why did she do it? Why?" Septimus's rant was broken off by a thundering crash. Marwick rushed out of the kitchen, yelling, "What in the world happened?" He peered out the window and swore. "4-er, Septimus?" he asked, still not used to calling his friend by his real name. "Can you put up an_ _ **Anti-Darke**_ _spell or something? Maybe a_ _ **SafeShield**_ _? A strong one? Now?!" Septimus walked up to him. "Sheesh, 409, what happened?" He followed Marwick's gaze and cursed. "Watch your profanity, Septimus," Rose muttered. "Sorry," he replied, and then spoke a series of chants and incantations, each one louder than the previous. After about ten minutes, he stopped. "I can't believe this. She hid it all this time," Jenna muttered from across the room. Another crash was heard, this time not so far away. "She wanted us all to feel safe. She knew all this time what would happen." BOOM! "She thought she could handle it, but she couldn't. Not by herself." BAM! "Jen, what do you mean?" Beetle whispered, followed by another crash. "Ooooh," Septimus began, but Marwick interrupted. "This is no time for jokes."_

" _Has love blinded you Septimus?" Jenna yelled. "Did you not see it before? She's dead!"_

" _I know that," Septimus snapped. "Best not remind us all."_

" _You idiot!" Beetle shouted. Septimus winced. He was only called that in the Young Army. "She killed herself! Because of the_ _ **Darke**_ _, her pain, and her history. But most of all, because of you! You have been cocky and pompous this whole time that you couldn't even care for her! You call that love?!" Septimus opened his mouth to say something but Marwick shoved his hand over his mouth. "I don't have the nerve to insult you, but you've been very inconsiderate. We will try to fix this. You try to fix yourself." He motioned to the others and they all walked out of the cottage. Septimus tried to flash Jenna an apologetic glance, but she ignored him as she walked out, not even looking in his direction. He looked at the ground at his feet and thought. He had been an idiot._

 **(first person. oof sad sad waah waah emotional, back to story)**

I looked around my prison. Six other women were there, three of them the ones that were actually known. All their names were scratched into the walls of the heart, each in increasingly disordered script than the ones before it. Nimue, Kendra, Piper, Alarice, Cyne, and Falyn. I knew Kendra, Piper, and Alarice but not the others. I couldn't honestly tell, because the only thing tangible about them was their skeleton, and their transparent skin hung over it like a thin rag. I could see they died as young women, as they had a healthy, youthful appearance to them. Their rotted flesh was scattered across the black floor. I walked over to them, but I felt slowed down by something. "How did you end up here?" I asked. "Same as thee," they replied in unison. Their voices sent a chill down my spine. I could tell they had practiced this for a while. Living inside the monster living inside me. "Who are you?" I prompted. "Thou knoweth." I had a feeling I did too, so I took a guess. Falyn must be the one dressed in white with the palest skin, Nimue the one dressed in kelly green and turquoise with a darker tone, and Cyne the one dressed in pine green and brown with lighter skin than Nimue but darker than Falyn. "Falyn, are you from the Eastern SnowPlains?" She nodded. I turned to Nimue. "You're from the PathFinder village by the Trading Post." She also nodded, and I caught a mournful look in her eye. I looked at Cyne. "You're from the forest where the House of Foryx is. Or, when it was a forest." She shook her head. "No?" She nodded. I turned questioningly to Falyn, who was looking sympathetically at Cyne. "The lady did turn the most Insane of us all, until thee cameth along. The lady hath forgotten how society works. Anon, bid us, who is't art thee, and what hast becometh of thee?" I did not know I was crying. "I d-don't know. I thought I could handle it without my friends. I wanted to make their lives perfect so they would forget about me and the troubles I brang along. They were my only family left."

"Yond is not true. We art thy family."

"No, I know that. But we are all dead, not? I'm talking about the living."

"Ah, the living. I remember yond timeth, doth we not, Nimue?" Nimue's gray eyes agreed. "Do Kendra, Piper, and Alarice speak?" I inquired. "Nay. Those distaff has't grown so distraught by their sudden ending yond remembering aught hast becometh a difficulty."

"And how do I escape this… penitentiary?" They shared sorrowful glances at each other. "Thou cannot. Believeth us, we hath tried so many times. The heart is impenetrable. There is nothing we can do but to waiteth. Until someone kills the beast, we shall roteth hence h're," Falyn said, her voice resonating through the heart. I sighed. This rampaging beast really was all I-we would ever be. "There really isn't anything we can do?" They shook their heads, minus Cyne, who nodded. I guessed I had better make my time here worthwhile. I wonder why no one had bothered to kill the beast before. Did it find a new victim _that_ quickly? It was such a strange thing to think about. Did they have all their daughters _that_ young? It hurt to think, even though it shouldn't have. I was dead. I shouldn't feel anything. But it hurt. So maybe a part of me was still alive. Maybe a part of me was in my world and could warn the others. Tell them how to bring all of me back. Maybe I would finally end the destruction, pain, suffering and troubles I caused and make things right. It would all be right soon. Just maybe…


	14. And To Rise Again

**(reminder that Sierra's real name is Elara, they're the same person)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 14~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" _I suppose we'll have to kill it," Jenna said. Marwick frowned. "But we all know that's Sierra. If we kill it we kill her." Jenna grinned. Finally she knew something the others didn't. "We won't kill her, we'll free her. She's already dead. Not completely though. A part of her… is in a part of us. She told me. I can hear her. In here." She made a fist over her heart. "We can bring her back, whole this time, and this Insanity thing will be gone forever." Beetle, Rose, and Marwick nodded their silent agreement. Suddenly, the enormity of what they were about to do washed over them. They would actually have to face the monster. Beetle shuddered. Sometimes he appreciated it when Septimus was the center of attention. He would do the hard work for them. "Okay. L-Let's go then, shall we?" Marwick wavered, but he kept his stance. Steadied now, or so he hoped, he stepped out of the_ _ **SafeShield**_ _and beckoned the rest to come. They stepped out and were horrified. Everything was on fire. Jenna heard a strangled squawk and screamed. A dead chicken was lying at her feet. She calmed herself down and looked straight ahead of her. The silhouette of a black figure was there, but she couldn't tell whether it was coming towards them or the Castle. "We can't stay its end. We have to kill it. Now," Rose whispered. "But how?" Beetle was interrupted by a tree being hurled at them. They threw themselves out of the way just in time and the_ _ **SafeShield**_ _flickered as the naked tree bounced off of it and into the Mott. Rose couldn't stand dead trees, just as she couldn't stand dead chickens. She pulled out a toy warrior, the kind JoJo Heap used to play with and murmured, "Darkness falls, dead of night. Silence calls, we will fight. Pain is all, we will fight. We will fight in the dead of night." The warrior bowed and_ _ **Transformed**_ _into four swords. She gave one to Beetle. "If you strike, it will confuse the monster." She gave one to Marwick. "If you strike, it will immobilize. If I strike with mine, it will forget a little bit of its pain." She finally turned to Jenna. "If you strike, you will penetrate it. You have to kill it." Jenna was astounded as she took the sword from Rose's outstretched hands. She finally had an importance. It wasn't just Septimus. As she took the sword, a current of adrenaline flowed through her, and she suddenly felt invincible. "Come on, then. Let's free her!"_

 _They had no need to run to the Insanity monster, it ran to them. It softened a bit, realizing who they were, but toughened its heart. It was feeding off Elara's previous thoughts and paranoia that all they felt towards her was pity, and became more stronger, full of hate. It hissed, making the fires already across the Marshes flame upward and spread. Marwick had quickly_ _ **Extinguished**_ _the flames, leaving the Marshes sizzling. He had an immediate fear for the Boggart. What of him? The monster sensed this and smiled inside. More food. It sucked the essence of fear out of Marwick through the slit which might have been its mouth. It swept its hand over the Marshes, and the fires leapt up, higher than ever. "It feeds off negative emotions! Guys, we have to think positive! Think of when we will free Sierra, or good times we had with her!" Marwick screamed over the thunderous crackle of the fires, finally realizing what was happening. Rose took out a_ _ **ThunderFlash**_ _, one that Septimus had stolen from Simon when he was influenced by the_ _ **Darke**_ _. She stared at it for a moment, and threw it, not caring where it hit, but just that that part was paralyzed. It hit the thing's arm, and the thing made a sound like "schzeeeee!". It tried to bring life back into its arm, but it trailed behind like a limp noodle. It narrowed its eyes at Rose, who started backing away, but still keeping in mind the good times she had with Sierra. A tear slid down her cheek, but it wasn't a tear of sorrow, fear, or that those might be the last few seconds of her life. It was a tear of joy, remembrance, and faith._

 _Rose was swept off her feet as the thing grabbed her. She did not have a reaction, however. She was still in the past, and the present was no concern for her. Memory of the thing was gone from her mind. As the thing kept tightening its grip and Rose's lips began to take on a blue tinge, she absentmindedly raised her sword. Still drowning herself in the memories, still smiling, she jerked her arms down so violently, having no reaction as the thing screamed. She was dropped down, but she was in the memory of she and Sierra dancing together and laughing. Gracefully, she pulled herself out of the Mott, and travelled up towards the limp arm. She danced up and whispered in the thing's ear, "Sierra, that was so much fun!" and swung her sword. She dropped again as the thing shook its head. Now, many people in the Castle had thought Queens to be distinctly_ _ **UnMagykal**_ _. But they had their_ _ **Shields**_ _and_ _ **Defenses**_ _. A different kind of_ _ **Magyk**_ _no Wizard could master. So, as Rose fell, Jenna stretched out her arm in reflex and a white barrier appeared, catching her as she was about to meet her most certain death. Jenna waved her hand towards herself and carried Rose towards herself. She hugged Rose as she was brought back to the present. Crying in relief, Jenna was taken to the same world Rose had, and laid her down on the scorched grass. She swiftly got up and strode to the limp arm. The thing had noticed and quick as lightning, jerked to grab her. Jenna raised her empty hand and put it down, severing its lower arm, in the memory of when she was performing in front of Sierra and bowing. The thing shrieked, and, closing its eyes, tendrils of muscles and_ _ **Darke**_ _things came out of the dripping arm, closing in and wrapping on each other, forming a new arm and hand. Opening and closing its fingers, its eyes laid on Jenna. She slowly came out of her reverie and motioned to Beetle. He was grinning uncontrollably, remembering Sierra's most recent birthday. He walked slowly up to the thing._

 _It sensed the presence behind it, and swiveled around fast enough to see Beetle advancing upon it. Very slowly. Bemused, and clearly humoring Beetle, it stood still, wondering what the tiny human would do._

 _Beetle was not actually consciously doing anything. He had already struck the monster, and the sword had done its job; confusing and bewildering the beast. It was now Marwick's turn. He took out two_ _ **StunFlashes**_ _, the ones Aunt Zelda had given him before she had died. He threw them at the thing's legs. It screamed in pain, and its legs became paralyzed. Zelda had said to use them for good. This was good. Good for Sierra, good for his friends, good for Sam Heap, his one and only. Sam was always there. Lost in a memory when he was with Sam, for he didn't have many memories with Sierra, he travelled back to the memory when they had gone to Wizard Sandwiches, and Sam coming out to Marwick. That had been the happiest moment of Marwick's life, that he was not the only one who was homosexual. Marwick felt light, and not weighed down by the new responsibilities he had for the past three years. Climbing up the cottage walls, he stood on the thatched roof. Remembering what Septimus had told him about the Flyte Charm, he freed himself emotionally and jumped. Taking the limp thing by surprise, he stuck his sword in the thing's chest and slid down, taking the sword with him. He hopped down. The monster was completely paralyzed. But its head was not. It made the fires stronger, and one leapt up right where Jenna was walking to free her dear friend. A wall of flame looked her in the eye, trying to make her remember the traumatizing events she had encountered ever since her tenth birthday. Hearing the pistols aimed at her head and heart, being kidnapped, hearing disturbed spirits of the two dead Princesses behind the wainscoting. Witnessing an_ _ **Inhabited**_ _Ephaniah Grebe. Seeing hundreds of warrior jinnee marching up to her Castle. Walking through the_ _ **Darke Domaine**_ _, and finally, facing Shamandrigger Saarn and Dramindonnor Naarn. The thing was trying to make Jenna remember all the pain. But Jenna didn't. She blocked out the suffering with laughter. Laughter with her brothers. Laughing with her true parents, her foster parents, Sarah and Silas Heap. Laughing with Beetle. Rose. Marwick. Sierra. She knew she could not get out of the fire, but she could get out of the bad memories. Coal suddenly dropped all around her, and the fire extinguished. Confused, she looked up, where Septimus was_ _ **Flying**_ _. He winked and flew towards the head of the thing. He looked the thing in the eye. It was living, but at the same time, dead. He may have felt some guilt in doing this, but he did not care. He shoved shards of glass in the thing's eyes. "Schzeeeee!" it shrieked, making everyone clamp their hands over their ears._

 _While in the cottage, Septimus knew he had been blind, and he wanted to make it up. He went into Aunt Zelda's cupboard and went through the Queen's Way. He looked down, and sure enough, there was the trapdoor he had went through five years ago, when he had been kidnapped by Marcellus Pye. Reluctantly, he went down to the Robing Room and smashed the Glass. The shards scattered everywhere, and he took the two sharpest, longest, and biggest ones. It was these he shoved into the thing's eyes, and blinded the thing. He could now see._

 _Jenna had smiled at the awakening of her her brother and strode to the thing's heart, a pulsing, pounding thing. Reminding herself the thing was partially dead, she took her sword and shoved it in. Twisting and turning, slicing deeper into the black flesh, she kept in mind that killing evil would revive the good. Finally, when her face was splattered in its blood, she yanked out her sword. Heartbroken, she looked around. She could only see the white and anxious faces of her friends. Sierra… was not there. She reminded herself to stay positive, but couldn't. Maybe she had killed Sierra. She collapsed in a fit of sobs. Septimus flew to Jenna, a tear sliding down his cheek as well. He was crying out of love, however, and not grief. It landed in the wound, mixing in with the thing's blood. Swirling, swirling, swirling…_

I laughed out loud. I was alive. Alive! I saw my friends' relieved, joyous, and tear-streaked faces staring at me in disbelief. I looked back at them with love. Love for my friends, my family. I looked back at Falyn, Nimue, and Cyne, who nodded. Even Cyne nodded, who, in her surprise of being alive again, remembered how society worked again. I leapt down and embraced them, crying and laughing at the same time, sometimes not able to tell which one I was doing. I swept my hand and the Marram Marshes were restored. The dead creatures had come back to life. Just as I had. I was alive. Insanity no longer existed. I finally had a family. I was with the friends who raised me. I fell like I did when Una Brakket came to kill me but killed my parents. I fell again. But I also came back to life. And my name is Elara.


	15. Epilogue

**well, thanks to all of you. Lilianna, for the reviews. Syd and nat for reading this. There's going to be a sequel, and personally i can't wait to see it even though i'll be writing it. again, thanks. ;) also the epilogue will be in third person**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EPILOGUE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many of the Castle inhabitants ignored Elara after Insanity overtook her. She was constantly ignored and pushed away. As she neared the end of her Apprenticeship, Barney Pot had recognized what she could do. He often asked her to help in taking care of Spit Fyre, picking up dragon poop, and such. Soon, others began to ask Elara for requests and favors. It was this that inspired Marcia to make both Septimus and Elara ExtraOrdinary Wizards. It was a fine decision. Elara handled Palace work and Septimus helped out with the citizens of the Castle and the Port. Rose often helped with Elara, seeing as she was the **Charm** Wizard Apprentice. Elara had stopped seeking out love, for she knew she had a family now, and that was enough for her. She had stopped caring for Septimus, but they still had a close friendship. A year later, on her eighteenth birthday, she decided she wanted a new beginning. It was also the very end of her Apprenticeship to Marcia, and her start into adulthood. She wanted a new beginning, a new tomorrow, a chance to be something that she wasn't during her seven years and a day in the Wizard Tower. A chance to finally be a person without endangering herself or others. Marcia had resigned a little later, much to Septimus's annoyance, but it gave Elara time to think. Be normal, or special? Three years later, she had made her decision. Normal would go against all her instincts. She chose the other option, and was not only respected for her choice, but admired. No one wanted to follow the common norms. They wanted to be what the expectations did not want to be. The Castle flourished like This, each individual breaking away from the expectations, each a new and unique flower. Elara had been successful.

 _Mission accomplished._


	16. What Ever Happened To

**well, thanks to all of you. Lilianna, for the reviews. Syd and nat for reading this. There's going to be a sequel, and personally i can't wait to see it even though i'll be writing it. again, thanks. ;) also the epilogue will be in third person**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO…~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marcellus

Marcellus had, in fact, nearly lost his life when Una had broken into his home. He was knocked unconscious. When Septimus had finally found him after about five days, his face had turned white and his lips very dark blue. Septimus had immediately taken him to the Sick Bay, where he rested for two months. Rose decided to check up on him every Sunday, seeing as she used to be the Sick Bay Apprentice. After two months, and eight Sundays of care from Rose, color had finally returned to his pale body. He was dismissed from the Sick Bay, and this time, along with a **Sealed** trap door, he put seven heavy iron bolts, ensuring himself that no one could ever get in. That was also the way he intended it to be. Forever.

Ellis

Ellis had run away, but he also ran away from his life. True, he was a **Darke** Wizard, but he didn't care. He knew the knife was sharp, so the **Darke** poison meant nothing. Quickly, so as to not change his mind, he stabbed himself in the Great Hall, his black blood splattering all across the **Magyk** floor. It was only after Elara had returned to the Wizard Tower that the blood had removed itself, scared of Elara, thus removing the corruption from the **Magykal** floors. Ellis did not have a ghost, for his business with the world was done. And when he had stabbed his heart, he wanted nothing more but to be done.

Shamandrigger Saarn

Shamandrigger had been upset with his Apprentice. He had also been upset when he could not find him anywhere. At last, he found that he had been wasting his time with Ellis. He did not seek out another Apprentice, for, seeing through his past experiences, would also be a waste of his time. He retired from the Castle, only to return later in _Time_.

Thomas Bellwood

Thomas's ghost haunted Elara, Septimus, and Rose's dreams every night, seeing and he couldn't for Beetle or Jenna, because he had never been in the Palace or the Chief Hermetic Scribe's rooms. He truly hated Elara and Septimus, and placed images of the Insanity monster in their dreams. He also decided to punish Rose since she supported them. In a fit of rage, Elara had used **Magyk** to expel Thomas from the Wizard Tower. He was never able to get back in. Dismayed, he floated away, his ghost never to be seen again.

Una Brakket

Una had indeed existed and was not always just another form of Ellis Crackle. She had come to a tragic end, but it was actually herself who had allowed herself to become a puppet of the **Darke**. Ellis had realized her potential, in being a disguise, that is. She was the perfect **Darke** Wizard to cover the **Darke** plans that were waiting to be surfaced. Ellis had eventually taken her image after figuring this out, and left only her skin left. This was an advanced form of **Consuming** , but in the end, Una practically never existed. Only the people who had personally known her remembered her, people such as Simon, Jenna, Septimus, Marcia, etc. Everyone else forgot about her, as she was technically erased from the history of the world.

 **Well, that's it for this fanfic. I really hoped all of you loved this, and i know it took a really long time to get this out, but now that this is finally complete i can work on the sequel. It's probably going to take a long time to get the first chapter out for that, since i have to reread this and piece together the storyline, plot, information, and my ideas into what i'm actually going to do. But anyways, thanks to all of you for reading this! I enjoyed writing it, and i hope you all enjoyed reading it! Thank you!**


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